How life has changed in Flintshire

Flintshire's population increased by about 3,900 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 150,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Flintshire increased by 2.6%, from almost 149,000 to 153,000.

The addition of just over 3,900 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Flintshire was home to, on average, 2.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Flintshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Flintshire increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This area had a lower average age than Amber Valley (one of the most statistically similar areas to Flintshire based on ONS area classifications) (43 years of age) and had a similar age to the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 5,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 5,000.

About 13.0% of people in Flintshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Denbighshire and Flintshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Flintshire

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Flintshire fell from 14.1% to 13.2% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 884 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 4,442.

In Denbighshire (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Flintshire), 24.6% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 26.1% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 20.5% to 19.0%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50.1% to 43.9%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in work life

The percentage of Flintshire residents that were employed remained close to 55.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.9%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were unemployed, compared with 3.0% in 2001. The percentage of Flintshire residents that were self-employed increased from 6.8% to 7.9%.

The proportion of employed people fell at the third fastest rate of all local authority districts across Wales. As a result, this area had the country's highest proportion of employed people and the lowest proportion of homeowners.

The rate of employment was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More single people in Flintshire

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership increased in Flintshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Powys and Monmouthshire.

During this period, Flintshire fell below to become the Wales local authority area with the seventh-lowest percentage of single people.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30.3%) people aged 16 and over in Flintshire said they were single, compared with 26.6% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 54.9% to 50.4%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership occurred in Powys (from 25.1% to 28.2%) followed by Monmouthshire (from 22.9% to 26.3%).

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple increased in Flintshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Ceredigion and Newport.

During this period, Flintshire overtook to become the Wales local authority area with the seventh-highest percentage of cohabiting households.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10.1%) households in Flintshire had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.3% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person remained close to 27.4%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple occurred in Ceredigion (from 7.9% to 9.1%) followed by Newport (from 7.7% to 9.4%).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Flintshire

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Flintshire was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.4 points.

In 2011, 27.4% of respondents in Flintshire gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 13.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Wales, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 20.2% to 34.7%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Flintshire, 71.6% said they were Christian, compared with 85.5% in 2001. About 0.3% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.1% a decade prior.

In Flintshire, 7.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.3% in 2001. Across Wales, 7.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 8.1% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Flintshire increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in Wales, Denbighshire and Flintshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Flintshire that rented privately increased from 6.4% to 10.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in seven (15.1%) households lived in social housing, compared with 16.4% in 2001. The percentage of Flintshire households that owned their home decreased from 75.2% to 72.8%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to nearby Denbighshire (which remained close 15.9%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 8.6% to 14.1%.

Private renting in Flintshire increased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Flintshire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.8% to 5.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81.1%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69.6% in 2001. The percentage of Flintshire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20.6% to 13.2%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to nearby Denbighshire (which remained close 7.3%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.5% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Flintshire decreased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Flintshire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 11.6% to 8.6% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to nearby Denbighshire (which remained close 10.2%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.0% to 9.3%.

Long hour working in Flintshire decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wales that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Flintshire

The percentage of Flintshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.9% to 4.6% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.2%, while the percentage of Flintshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 88.9% to 88.4%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to nearby Denbighshire (which remained close 5.5%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 4.6% to 5.2%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Flintshire residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.6% to 2.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, 1.6% of reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to nearby Denbighshire (which remained close 3.6%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 3.1% to 3.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Flintshire remained close to 2.9%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Denbighshire and Flintshire by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Flintshire with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 11.6% to 11.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.7%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 31.3% in 2001. The percentage of households in Flintshire without children increased from 57.1% to 58.9%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a slower rate here than in nearby Denbighshire (which remained close 10.2%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 10.2% to 10.7%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

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